Fiction:
* Romances: Popular romance novels often featured idealized love stories, often set in historical periods or exotic locations. Authors like Ethel M. Dell, Marie Corelli, and Elinor Glyn were popular.
* Adventure: Adventure novels often featured strong male protagonists facing exciting challenges, often in far-off lands. Popular authors include Edgar Rice Burroughs (known for Tarzan), Robert Louis Stevenson, and H. Rider Haggard.
* Realism: Realist novels focused on depicting everyday life and social issues, often with a focus on the working class. Popular authors included Theodore Dreiser, Upton Sinclair, and Jack London.
* Detective Fiction: Early detective fiction was gaining popularity, with authors like Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes) and Edgar Allan Poe leading the way.
* Science Fiction: While not yet a major genre, science fiction was beginning to emerge, with authors like H.G. Wells writing influential works.
Non-Fiction:
* History and Biography: There was a strong interest in historical accounts and biographies, particularly of famous individuals and events. Popular authors included Edward Gibbon, James Boswell, and Lord Macaulay.
* Self-Help and How-To: Books on self-improvement, personal growth, and practical skills were gaining popularity.
* Travelogues: Travel writing was popular, with accounts of journeys to distant lands.
* Essays and Literary Criticism: Essays and critical works on literature, art, and philosophy were popular among intellectual circles.
Popular Authors:
* Charles Dickens: While he passed away in 1870, his novels remained widely popular, including "A Tale of Two Cities," "Oliver Twist," and "Great Expectations."
* Mark Twain: Twain's humorous and insightful novels continued to be popular, including "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," and "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court."
* Jane Austen: Austen's novels continued to be enjoyed, including "Pride and Prejudice," "Sense and Sensibility," and "Emma."
* William Shakespeare: Shakespeare's plays were regularly performed and widely read.
It's important to remember:
* Reading habits varied greatly based on socioeconomic status, education level, and geography.
* Libraries played a crucial role in providing access to books for many.
* Newspaper and magazine readership was also very high.
To get a more specific idea of the books that were most popular in 1910, you can search online book databases or visit libraries to see which books were published or borrowed during that year.